This is a rare opportunity to explore a piece of French history and culture in the city.
The building is located on Le Duan Street in Saigon Ward. It once housed the French admiral and later became the home of French ambassadors during the Indochinese period.
With its antique white walls and nearly five-metre-high green arches surrounding all four sides, the mansion embodies the grandeur and elegance of classic French architecture.
The site attracted many architects, artists, and enthusiasts of French culture who came to admire the Indochine architecture and historic artworks.
Etienne Ranaivoson, the French Consul General in HCM City, personally introduced the spaces and artefacts linked to the mansion’s 153-year history.
In the mansion’s corridors, visitors were drawn to ceramic artefacts, some brought from the former Governor’s Palace, now Independence Palace, and others presented by France.
The artefacts displayed in the mansion were crafted by Vietnamese artisans, including the oldest vase, which is 160 years old.
A Cham nearly millennium-old statue stands as vivid evidence of time and ancient sculptural art.
At the entrance to the kitchen sits a cast-iron spiral staircase leading up to the roof, once part of a French naval warship and reflecting the distinctive style of the Eiffel era.
Pham Thi Na, a French language teaching student, expressed her excitement that “I really love the simplicity of French architecture. Having the chance to visit today, I’m thrilled to broaden my knowledge and gain such a valuable experience.”
